


The Girl I Used to Know

by TheObnoxiousWindFish



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: F/M, Toot Toot All Aboard the Angst Train
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 19:11:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16561646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheObnoxiousWindFish/pseuds/TheObnoxiousWindFish
Summary: Arthur finds a smaller version of the woman he married.





	The Girl I Used to Know

Arthur smiles fondly as wipes his brow, another torrent of the tempest’s own making now washed away again. He contemplates the world, just for a moment, as the dream scape of the storm washes through, and dwells on the Nohr he left behind. King Xander reigns, the Hoshidian army mauled and destroyed, all in the name of justice (no, not justice, greed). The world ought to have been perfect this way, to most, with the Nohrians finally prospering and Xander in control... but no future was for him.

Arthur’s family was missing far too much. 

Percy was a lot like Arthur. He was strong, and brave, though with enough luck to put Arthur to shame, and kind. Percy was a star in a world of darkness, working for the better of all and deserved a family together. Percy and Ace would save the world, and Arthur supported him constantly.

Shigure... the older of the boys, a gentle soul who spent too much time hiding pain and too little time expressing his real feelings. Arthur would look at Shigure and see his mother, so much, but would never dare to tell him. Years of his life spent raising Shigure told him when his son was in pain, and Arthur knew it was too cruel to tell him these things. Shigure was a strong man, who loved his brother.

Neither of these boys knew their mother well. Not as well as Arthur would have dreamed. In Arthur’s dreams, Shigure and his mother would sing together after dinner, Ace would be watching Percy and Arthur would be able to look down and see that his family is beloved and safe. Those days were not to be.

Arthur’s pulled from his thoughts as he’s called by the summoner, who tells him to hurry up. Someone to see! Without too much hesitation, Arthur’s smile is back on his face and he can work for Justice now, thought it pains him a little to remember Percy and Shigure back home. The summoner drags Arthur over to a small girl and starts babbling, but the noise is quickly drown out when Arthur finally sees her.

It’s... It’s Azura.

Not the Azura that he married, not the Azura he proposed to and hand a family with, nor even an Azura before then. 

She barely came up to his waist.

Arthur kneels, half to get a better look, half to be polite, and gives her a reassuring smile. This Azura is one who lives in his memory, this Azura is the one he fell in love with at the very start. Arthur lets himself remember when he was that age, still a Nohrian peasant, and his smile is much fonder. The little girl stares at him in a confused way, and Arthur attempts to clear his throat.

“Hello, Azura.” She seems surprised he know her name. Arthur continues. “I don’t know if you’ve met me yet. You don’t happen to remember a blond haired boy yelling about Justice, do you?”

Azura remains silent, but the gears in her head are working. After a moment, she nods, and Arthur can’t help the relief that washes over at that.

“He took a whipping for you, didn’t he?” Arthur asks, and the little Azura’s eyes go wide in fear. His smile remains sympathic.

“You're wondering how I know, right? Well... that little boy grows up one day, into a hero. He ends up a retainer for the youngest princess of Nohr, and you meet him again...” Arthur explains, and little Azura seems to be processing this information. He doesn’t blame her, but at the same time, he wants to know.

“His name is Arthur. I know you’ll see him again.”

The young girl stares at him blankly.

“Don’t forget, alright?”

It’s the most selfish thing he could have done, but the summoner hasn’t said anything. Arthur pretends he’s not noticed the other’s disappointment. “Your siblings are here - you should go find them.”

Azura quickly disappears to find her siblings. Arthur frowns, sighing sadly, then standing himself. 

His heart hurts.


End file.
